Label and Packaging Needs Solved for Emerging Craft Spirit Brands

In the last twenty years, craft brews have become a staple of beer drinkers across the country. While the big brands will always have their loyalists, small breweries have taken more and more market share, leading to the prevalence of “micro-breweries” across the nation and something everyone has become accustomed to. It’s only in the last few years, however, that the emergence of craft spirits has really come into effect.

According to Drinks Market Analysis, the growth of craft spirits will outpace the growth of non-craft spirits brands by 2025. This massive growth has been driven by a number of factors, including an inclination on the part of consumers to support small and local brands when possible, disruptions to the supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and opportunities to follow the lead of craft breweries.

If you’re an emerging craft spirit brand, you know that the market is booming—but with a burgeoning market comes fierce competition. Since such a large percentage of buying decisions in the spirits industry comes from in-store instant decisions, having a label that makes an impact on consumers is integral to brands looking to make space for themselves in the craft spirits industry. Here are three ways we can help boost your libation with an embellished label.

Custom Die Cut Labels

With so much creative thinking happening in the craft spirit industry when it comes to producing, at Inovar Packaging Group, we complement those unique creations with some creative label embellishments. A custom die cut label is one way to differentiate your craft spirit.

Traditional pressure sensitive labels are die cut using a cutting tool of a particular shape. You can picture flattened cookie dough and think of the die tool as the cookie cutter you’d use to make different shapes. The tool cuts into the material and you’ve achieved your distinctive shape.

At Inovar, we are the masters of the die cut, and if you can imagine it, there’s a good chance we can do it. When most spirit bottles on the shelf have the same-sized rectangular label, imagine how yours will pop with a custom die cut. And when we say custom, we mean custom: we can create special shapes out of the entirety of your label to show off your bottle material or cut out portions within the label to create patterns or other unique design elements.

Specialty Label Materials

When you want a unique look for your product, one of the best ways to achieve it is to opt for a specialty base material for your label embellishments. Linen and estate papers have long been popular among spirit brands for good reason. The textured look and feel add an element of sophistication to any beverage. We offer many linen/estate options for labels, but our range of unique materials doesn’t stop there.

If your goal is to create a high-end look for your product, black vellum is a unique way to go. This thick material gives you a luxe look that can’t be replicated. If none of this sounds special enough to suit your brand, we even offer wood grain material. This material is made of wood and comes in different finishes like birch and cherry.

Metallic Label Embellishments

Metallics can be a fantastic way to add some design flair to your craft spirits label. We can achieve a countless variety of metallic colors, from classic golds and silvers, to teals, magentas, and just about any other color you can imagine.

From special inks to more cost-effective options like metalized paper and film, we have many ways of creating metallic label elements, so there are few if any limitations to our repertoire of metallic colors. Our team will guide you to the right choice for your design goals, brand, and budget. Even if you’re new to metallic labels and want to try out something different for a product, Inovar’s printing expertise allows you to stay on brand while adding a bit of shine.

Using a metallic base material enables you to create metallic elements in exactly the way you desire on your label, from fully metallic labels to small features or text outlines. We also offer several different finishing options, which can create looks from bright glossy metallic accents to more stately metallic tones with a matte coating.

Cold foiling and hot stamping are two techniques that can create luxurious metallic looks. If you want metallic elements on your label but don’t require the entire label to be metallic, one of these may be an option for you, especially if you are looking for a uniquely high-end finish. These techniques are perfectly suited for those limited edition and holiday releases.

You can check out a more complete list of our many label embellishment options here, or better yet, let’s set up an Innovation Meeting. Contact us today and we can begin building the custom label for your craft spirit that will boost your brand.